Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is scheduled to meet Finnish officials in a visit to Helsinki on Tuesday and Wednesday, Foreign Ministry sources said on Tuesday.
Fidan’s visit will focus on the improvement of ties between the two countries, as well as the security of Europe in the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Along with his counterpart Elina Valtonen, Fidan is scheduled to meet Jussi Halla-aho, the parliamentary speaker of Finland. Separately, he will make a speech at an event at the Finnish Parliament, at a session dedicated to Turkish-Finnish cooperation. Fidan is also scheduled to meet Finnish Tatars, a Turkic minority who previously met President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and maintained connections with Türkiye throughout their history.
During his meetings, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will emphasize the importance of deepening and diversifying relations between Türkiye and Finland in all areas, particularly in trade, investment and the defense industry – on the basis of mutual benefit, Foreign Ministry sources said. He will also convey that Türkiye is ready for closer cooperation with Finland in fields such as information technologies, cybersecurity, financial technologies and renewable energy.
Fidan will note that partnerships that can be developed in the Arctic region could bring a new vision to bilateral cooperation. He will also highlight that Turkish citizens and the Tatar community in Finland symbolize the strong human ties between the two countries.
The foreign minister will express Türkiye’s appreciation for Finland’s support of Türkiye’s accession process to the European Union, and he will share Ankara’s expectations for advancing Türkiye-EU relations, particularly regarding the modernization of the customs union and progress on the Visa Liberalization Dialogue.
Fidan will underline the need for Türkiye and Finland to continue their joint efforts for global peace in multilateral platforms. In this context, he will point out that the Groups of Friends of Mediation, established within the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) under the leadership of both countries, are important and effective platforms.
Fidan will express Türkiye’s belief that its new NATO ally Finland will make significant contributions to Euro-Atlantic security, and he will stress that Türkiye is ready to provide all necessary support under the alliance’s framework. He will also note that, with its military strength and strategic location, Türkiye plays an “indispensable” role in Europe’s security architecture.
He will reiterate that Türkiye is ready to take on a facilitating role in international efforts and diplomatic processes aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war through peaceful, just and lasting means. He will also stress the vital importance of adhering to the cease-fire in Gaza and ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid. Fidan will also emphasize the need to improve the fragile humanitarian situation in the region and accelerate international efforts for the reconstruction of Gaza.
Diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Finland were established with the signing of the Treaty of Friendship in 1924.
In 2010, the two countries launched the “Mediation for Peace” initiative under the auspices of the U.N.
Bilateral trade volume between Türkiye and Finland reached approximately $1.8 billion in 2024.
